1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for identification of a buyer during a face to face sales transaction, and more particularly, to a method for electronically establishing an identity of a buyer during a face to face sales transaction.
2. Description of Related Art
Transactions within a physical store are accomplished using cash payments, invoicing, check payments or credit cards. The development of technologies in the mobile telephone and electronic personal device area have also presented the potential for the use of these components as payment devices in addition to their normal functions. The major problem encountered within transactions in which cash is not exchanged between a buyer and seller is the necessity to properly identity the buyer in a secure manner. Identification is needed when a buyer and seller require one of the parties to be identified. For example, if a transaction is completed between more than one buyer and/or seller, the parties need to ascertain that each party is who they say they are.
Existing methods of identification include 1) a buyer identifying himself to a seller by means of an identity card, 2) a buyer signing a document stating the buyer's identity, 3) via a third party identifying the buyer, 4) via a previously agreed code or visible decal stating the identity of the buyer. Unfortunately, none of these methods are particularly well adapted to a personal device such as a mobile telephone or electronic personal device. Furthermore, each of these methods are subject to fraud on the part of the buyer who may lie about their identity or have stolen a previously agreed code or decal identifying the buyer. Thus, there is a need for an improved buyer identification apparatus and method which may ideally be implemented in electronic personal devices and mobile telephones.